Star Light, Star Bright
by My Beautiful Ending
Summary: Tonight was just supposed to be a fun girl's night out at the boardwalk on Halloween. Dancing, drinking... and eventually going home alone. Laurie never could have predicted this. It was the beginning and the end of everything.


**AN: okay real talk y'all. Where are the Star and David fics? Where are they. I cannot find them. I love their dynamic, and I want more, but _I just can't find any._ So I wrote this. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. (but for real if you know of any Star and David fics feel free to recommend when you review ;D ) Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Star Light, Star Bright**

"C'mon, Laurie; it'll be fun!" Brittany said, applying her red lipstick. "A night on the boardwalk, the four of us, Halloween… we can be anybody!"

Laurie brushed a curl away from her face and sighed. "You know the boardwalk will be crazy," she pointed out. "It always is on holidays."

"We just have to, like, embrace the crazy," Stacy said, adjusting the shoulder pads in her resale prom dress. She set the flimsy crown on her blond perm. "I'll be Princess Peach, okay?"

"We could all see that one from a mile away," Jada laughed. She tightened the pads over her brown knees and asked, "Anyone seen my other roller skate?"

"I've got the perfect costume for you," Brittany cajoled, rushing to her closet to pull out a lace top and a flowing purple skirt with beads and sequins. "With this vest and maybe a scarf, you can be a hippie! I've got a peace sign necklace somewhere." She held the clothes out and made puppy dog eyes at Laurie.

Ugh, she could never crush her friend's hopes. "Fine, give." Laurie held out a hand.

Brittany squealed and thrust Laurie towards her bathroom.

They were always like this, Laurie reflected. Every month or so Brittany would find an excuse (usually a breakup) to drag them all out to dance, get drunk, and hit on boys. And it always ended the same way —everyone would wind themselves around a boy, except her, and she'd go home alone. She loved to dance, but she could not enjoy getting wasted, and every boy that drunkenly slurred and tried to put his hands on her made her skin crawl.

 _But I keep going,_ she mused, shimmying out of her jeans and t-shirt. _Why? I don't think it's because I hope I'll eventually like it._

She pulled on the white lace shirt and buttoned the skirt, smoothing her hands over the fabric. _Maybe because I know they'll need me_. She stared at her reflection in the mirror and fluffed her hair, which was frankly out of control. The times they hadn't found guys, she had the steady hands to hold back hair as they puked, listened as the drunkenly sobbed, and got them home safe.

There was a knock at the door. "Hey, Laurie," Jada called, "Brittany wanted me to give you this other stuff."

Laurie opened the door and took in Jada's full roller derby attire, from the red helmet over her braids to the roller skates on her feet. "You're gonna wear those all night?"

Jada laughed. "Wouldn't that be fun after I've got a few drinks in me? No, girl, they're my mom's old skates—they just strap to my Keds, see?"

"Well thank goodness for that," Laurie said, relieved, as she shrugged the vest on and hung the pendant around her neck.

"Ta-da!" Brittney struck a pose, finally happy with the kerchief that transformed her into Rosie the Riveter.

Stacy squealed and clapped her hands. "Like, you! can! do! it!"

Brittany laughed and flexed. "You bet I can!"

"Ohh, Laurie, let me do your hair! I can put the scarf in it!" Stacy exclaimed.

Laurie smiled at the shorter girl's enthusiasm. "Sure."

"I just love your hair, all that natural curl," Stacy commented as Laurie perched on the vanity stool. "I've got to get a perm every month!" Her hands wove the silken scarf through Laurie's brown hair.

"You wouldn't say that if you had to deal with frizz and tangles day after day," Laurie laughed.

"No, I mean it —you're so effortlessly beautiful." Stacy tied off the scarf's end and gave her a hug.

"Aww, thanks, Stace." Laurie returned the hug as her spirits lifted. Maybe tonight _would_ be fun.

* * *

"Okay, remember —I'm Rosie the Riveter," Brittany instructed as they pulled into the boardwalk's parking lot. "Stacy is Princess Peach."

Stacy laughed and blew a kiss.

"Jada, who are you?"

"I'm Queenie, Queen of the Roller Derby!"

"Laurie?"

"Do I really have to do this?"

"Yes!" they all exclaimed. "It's liberating," Jada said. "So who are you?"

 _They'll pick for me if I refuse,_ Laurie knew. As they all piled out of the car, she cast around for inspiration and landed on the sky as the last streaks of sunlight disappeared over the horizon. "Star," she decided.

" _Yeah_ you are, girl," Brittany said, linking elbows with her. "Let's go have a night we'll never forget, Star." They headed to the already riotous boardwalk.

Halloween was in full after-dark swing. The families with kids had all done their trick-or-treating earlier and were not at home enjoying a sugar crash. Now the teens, college students, and adults had taken over the boardwalk, sporting scandalous costumes and gruesome masks as the organ grinder music from the amusement rides washed over the crowd.

Laughing, Laurie let her friends pull her into the throng of people in front of the boardwalk's amphitheater. Instead of a local band, the musicians, all dressed as skeletons, were playing overs of all the popular songs. For a solid hour they danced and shouted along to "Girls just want to have fun," "Don't Stop Believing'" and more Halloween songs like "Thriller" and "Love Potion Number Nine."

Then Stacy fanned herself frantically. "I need a drink!" she screamed over the music. They conga-lined out of the crowd and past a group of bikers to the nearest bar. Music poured out of there as well, and after Jana sweet-talked a guy into buying them all beers, they hit this dance floor to the tune of "Witch Doctor." Then tequila shots followed the beers, and Jell-O shots after that.

"Oh my gooooooooooosh," Brittany breathed into Laurie's ear, " _Look_."

"Where?" She knocked Brittany's hand away. "Don't point!"

"By the _door_. Tall dark, _and_ handsome," she moaned. "Oh, it's unfair."

Laurie looked. A tall young man in a leather jacket with long dark hair peered through the smoke and the flashing disco lights.

" _Soooo_ hot," Brittany continued, clutching her chest as if she was in pain.

"Yeah, if you like that sort of thing," Laurie mused, but she wasn't listening.

"Peach, come with!" Brittany tugged on the other girl's sleeve.

"Huh?" Stacy said, a little out of it.

" _Stace_!" Brittany shrieked, "Boys! Now!" and dragged her off.

"Here we go," Jana cackled. "She's got the scent now! You want another drink, Star?"

Laurie started at the name. "No, but I'll go with you." They wound their way to the bar where Jana had another beer and sat on a bar stool. "Time for the skates to come off," she giggled.

"Better let me." Laurie pulled the buckles free and deposited the skates in Jana's lap.

"Ohhh, thanks, Star! My feet feel so light!" She waggled her feet in the air.

Laurie glanced back at the door. The men had multiplied, and Brittany was gesturing enthusiastically in their direction. "Oh boy," she muttered. "Can I get a beer, too?" she asked the bartender. He pulled one and sent it down to her. Sipping from the foam, she peered over the lip of the glass as the group approached.

"These are our friends!" Stacy almost screamed. "This is Dwayne and Marko! That's Rosie," she pointed at them all in succession, "Queenie, Star, and I'm Peach!"

"Yeah you are," Marko said, smirking at her in the wildest jacket Laurie had ever seen.

"Where are your other friends?" she yelled over the music. "You said four!"

"They're on their way," he assured her. "You wanna dance?"

"Yes!" She threw her arms around his neck.

Brittany's hands were already under Tall, Dark, and Handsome's jacket —he wasn't wearing a shirt. Laurie and Jada shared looks of disbelief. Soon she'd be in his lap.

The song changed to Queen's "Somebody to Love," and Brittany squeaked. "Guys, we have to dance to this! C'mon," she tugged on Handsome's jacket.

"No, I'll just watch you, Dwayne said, flashing a white-toothed smile at her.

She winked and wriggled her butt before turning to Laurie and Jada.

"You don't have to tell me twice." Laurie set her drink down and led the way to the dance floor. This would probably be the last dance together of the night.

Stacy abandoned her boy to dance with the rest of them on the chorus. They belted out the words right along with the rest of the dance floor. Laurie closed her eyes and swayed to the beats and the guitar chords. Her hands found another pair —Brittany's—and as the music built, they sang, _"Somebody, somebody, somebody, somebody —can anybody find me somebody to love?"_

There on the dance floor, Laurie felt a swell of affection for these girls whose friendship had gotten her through high school, and had stayed constant and supportive through tough classes, rough teachers, strict parents, and fickle boys. _This is why we're friends,_ she thought, clasping their hands. _This right here._

At the last strum of the guitar, they all burst into laughter, sweaty and a little tipsy.

"I love that song!" Stacy beamed. Then she turned to Marko. "Are you my 'somebody to love'?" She leaned against him flirtatiously.

Laurie shook her head, hiding a smile.

Marko cackled, wrapping his arms around her waist. "We'll see. David and Paul are here." The group migrated off the dance floor and to a secluded corner so no one was shouting. Jana seemed unable to stop giggling, stumbling over the step up from the dance floor.

"Whoa," a guy with a mane of blond hair said, steadying her, "What's the rush?" He pushed her helmet back from where it had slid over her eyes. "What roller rink you headed to in such a hurry, and can I come?"

Jada stared at him, nearly speechless. "Lead the way, baby," she blurted out.

What little buzz Laurie had left was leaving. "I'm gonna get water," she said to no one in particular, and got behind several people in line at the bar. By the time she got back with her water cup, she expected them to have disappeared, or at least most of them. Then she could go home.

To her great surprise, when she got back, they were all still in that corner.

" _Star_!" Brittany called, pouncing on her.

She blinked again at the name.

"Ohmigosh, so the guys know of this cool cove away from the beach bums and the surf Nazis we can go to! Let's go, it'll be so fun!"

"Br—I mean, Rosie," Laurie said, "You guys go ahead, I'm gonna…."

" _NOooo_ , no no no, you have to come to make it four and four! Let's go!" Brittany started tugging her towards the door. Only then did Laurie notice the fourth.

The expression on his face suggested he was vaguely amused by the whole situation, a smile hovering in the corner of his mouth. A white-blond mullet framed cool eyes, a shocking contrast to his all black clothes. His eyes met Laurie's, and it felt like a live wire had shocked her. All the breath went out of her, and she was overwhelmed by such a strange feeling… and then it passed. She could breathe again, and her heart was racing for no reason she could fathom.

Outside the bar, the guys led the way to four motorcycles parked at the curb, and everyone else quickly paired up, leaving Laurie with the mysterious fourth.

"Hop on," he said, swinging his leg over the bike. He hooked a thumb behind him.

She hesitated, but he held out a black-gloved hand. After looking from it back to his face, she took it and climbed on. _This has got to be one of the wildest things I've ever done,_ she thought giddily. _And that's saying something, considering what Brittney was like in high school._

"You ever ridden a bike before?" he asked, starting the motor.

She shook her head, and then realized he couldn't see her. "No," she said loudly.

"Just put your arms around my waist and hang on," he said. "Lean in whatever direction I lean in."  
"Okay," she said, and gripped the fabric of his overcoat.

The bikes roared away from the curb, the boys whooping and hollering. The wind struck her like a solid thing, tugging at her clothes and whipping at her hair. She almost felt as though it was stealing her breath. Then she felt the vibrations through her companion's chest as he laughed.

Her teeth almost rattled out of her head as they went down stairs. Then the bikes buzzed over the sand, and Laurie regained enough control over herself to lift her face from his back. Wide eyed, she watched people and sand volleyball nets zip past, the ocean glittering silver. She sucked in a deep gasp. The moon and all the stars shone brilliant above them as the bikes quickly left the well-populated beaches behind. Delighted, she laughed in the wonder of it all. Her hair flew in front of her face, but she didn't trust herself enough to let go of his coat.

They came to a stop at the base of a cliff. The beach was narrow here, very little sand, mostly rock. She'd bet that when the tide came in, there wouldn't be a beach at all. Right now, though, it was on its way out, rolling back from the cliff face. Laurie dismounted awkwardly, aware that she'd nearly been molded to this stranger's back, and she still didn't know his name.

"Last one in the water has to walk home!" Stacy shrieked, and the three girls bolted for the water, their paramours laughing as they dropped their jackets and followed more slowly.

The air was cool and sticky; she could only imagine what the water would be like. Instead of going in, she perched on a boulder and listened to the laughter rising on the wind.

Her stranger didn't go in the water, either. He lit a cigarette and held out the pack to her wordlessly. She shook her head, and he put it away again. He leaned against the cliff face and smoked for a long time, breathing out long trails of smoke, until the cigarette was a nub. Then he dropped the butt and ground it out with his boot.

"What's your name, anyway?"

Laurie looked up, startled after such a long silence. Her real name hovered behind her lips, but she held it back. "Star," she said slowly.

"Star what?"

"…Just Star."

He nodded. "I'm David."

David. The name washed over her like a hot desert wind. "Nice to meet you," she murmured.

"Nice costume. You into all that?" He pointed at the peace sign.

"What? Oh," she said, examining it. "This is —ah, Rosie's. You decided not to dress up?"

"Nah. We thought about it, but decided it might be a little gauche." His mouth turned up at what seemed to be an inside joke.

Somebody's shriek and a splash echoed into the night.

"You don't think they're drunk enough to drown, do you?" she asked hurriedly.

He smirked. "No, I don't think so. The water ought to sober them up. And we're all pretty good swimmers; they'll pull the girls out if they go under. You're not a water girl?"

She shrugged, at a loss. "Not tonight. I don't want to be damp for hours later. I do love the ocean, though," she whispered.

"Why?"

She looked at him, surprised. "It's beautiful…I love the sound of the waves, the salt in the air, it's hidden depths. I've always loved it." She shrugged helplessly and changed the subject. "Do you all live around here?"

"Santa Carla, born and raised," David said, with something of a curl to his lip. "You?"

"Yep." Laurie nodded, and for lack of anything else to do, she began to unplait the scarf from her hair. It took some doing; the motorcycle ride had tangled it something fierce, but she worked through the knots and the snags, and soon the scarf slipped from her hair to lie around her shoulders, shimmering in the moonlight like some living thing.

The wind picked up then and blew her brown curls back from her face. She put up a hand to smooth them down. She glanced at David, and there it was again —that frightening electricity crackling between them. He stared at her like he was puzzling out a mystery, a code that eluded him.

Her face flushed, and Laurie ducked her head again.

 _This isn't me,_ she thought frantically, _I'm the girl who cleans up vomit and pats shaking shoulders. I'm in the wrong story._ But no pages were open to her except the ones ahead.

David reached into his boot and pulled out a flask. He unscrewed it and took a sip, watching the water. Then he looked back at her and wordlessly held it out.

She wet her lips, opened her mouth to refuse—and hesitated. After a few stuttered heartbeats, she jerkily nodded.

David moved to her and held out the flask. Laurie's fingers curled around the cool metal and lifted it to her lips. The liquid in it burned on the way down, and she coughed, covering her mouth with her free hand.

"It takes us all by surprise, the first time," David said, voice quiet. "Second swallow goes down smoother."

The innate dare made her set her shoulders and sip again. This time, she could taste the strong whisky—but there was something else, something she couldn't pinpoint. A thick, metallic flavor.

Laurie handed the flask back as warmth spread along her veins, lighting her up from the inside. She didn't feel the chill in the air anymore, but the air between them still hummed, electric.

"Star light, star bright," David whispered, staring at her face, "the first star I see tonight. I wish I may, I wish I might, have the wish I wish tonight."

 _What do you wish?_ Laurie wanted to ask, but her mouth wasn't working.

He leaned towards her, and she inhaled. He was going to kiss her. _I don't do this! I'm not that girl!_ her fears cried. The warmth in her veins kindled a strange fiery bravery that countered, _Maybe you're not, but tonight you're_ Star _, and Star can kiss any boy she likes._

Before she could change her mind, she leaned forward and pressed her lips against his.

His lips were cool and soft, and his stubble scraped against her chin. She hadn't had time to really take in the sensation before he cupped the back of her neck and pressed himself more firmly against her.

Her hands found purchase on his lapels and hung on for dear life as her sensations spun out of control. The fire burst into an inferno, a blazing wildfire, and she had no clue what direction was up or down.

Eventually she swam back to something like consciousness, something like reality. But this couldn't be reality; not really, because she was leaning heavily into a solid chest, and glowing eyes surrounded her like hungry things.

"….never got to keep a meal before," someone grumbled.

"What gives you the right—"

The chest she leaned against rumbled. "Well, you obviously weren't thinking about it tonight."

"What's Max gonna think?"

"Let's not find out," another said with a laugh.

Her eyes focused, and the glowing eyes settled into faces. The guys. The motorcycle guys —tinted red. Paul swiped the back of his hand over his mouth, smearing. Brown where it dried on Marko's white shirt.

She pushed, and the arms around her gave; she sat up and stared. Towards the east above the cliffs, the darkness was turning gray. To the west, the tide was coming in, covering the little stretch of sand and rocks, and leaving dark stains in its wake.

She counted. Four boys. Herself. Where were the girls? _Where are they_ , she wanted to ask, but her throat closed against the words, and she could not speak them aloud.

She looked each of them in the face, unnamed horror growing. She turned to David last, eyes wide, begging. He simply tilted his head to the side, eyes cool and perceptive. _You know,_ his look seemed to say.

Her heart rose in her throat. "No." The word ricocheted against the cliff, bouncing back and forth until it died in the sea breeze.

She bolted for the water, for the dark stain, plunging into the surf. "Brittany! Jada! Stacy!" she yelled, trying to swim out. Maybe they were still alive; maybe they could hear her….

But strong arms pulled her back and towed her out of the water. She thrashed and struggled as hard as she could, but her bonds felt like steel, unyielding. "Let me go! Let me go, let me —Brittany!" she screamed, her eyes overflowing with tears.

"It's no use, Star."

"It'll be all right, Star."

"Breathe, Star; breathe," they said, surrounding her. She wrapped her arms around herself and focused on her lungs pumping air in and out, in and out.

 _Now it's going to happen to me_ , she thought miserably. "Please, let me go," she whispered. "Or do it fast."

"Can't," David said simply. "You're one of us now." He pulled out the flask and shook it.

Unbidden, the taste of the whisky bloomed again in her mouth alongside the other flavor —heavy, dark.

"No," she said. "No."

Paul wiped the rest of his face. "Hey, Star, it'll be all right; we've never had a sister before."

"Yeah, Star, you'll see."

"You'll learn, Star—"

"That's not my name!" she screamed, falling to her knees, feeling the rocks jab into her legs.

Only the ocean's hiss answered right away. After a few beats someone—maybe Marko—said, "Well, it is now."

 _No,_ she thought, digging her fingers into the sand, _no._

Her best friends' faces would not leave her mind. _Did they call my name? Did they scream—and what did they think when I didn't come? I should have been there for them. I should have— I failed._

 _I failed._

Something heavy settled around her shoulders and draped around her—the black overcoat. Then David picked her up as easily as a kitten and carried her along the sand.

"We've got to get inside before sunrise," he said conversationally. "That's a rule. You'll learn them all, but you've got time. Just rest for now; the change is hard on you."

She forced the words through her teeth. "Why did you do this to me?"

The sand crunched under his boots as he looked inscrutably down at her. In an altogether different voice, he told her, "I wish I knew."

Ahead of them lay a dark opening in the cliff side framed by Keep Out signs and warning. She looked back over his shoulder at the water, at the last pinpricks of light visible in the sky.

Then they disappeared into darkness and faded from view.

* * *

"you filled yourself up with so much light,  
you forgot about the shadows that'd follow,  
so you blew a kiss to the stars,  
and asked them: how do I survive?  
and they answered: it's simple. you burn."

— _and you have been dying ever since_ / k.s.


End file.
